asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what proportion of the estimated United Kingdom receipts of £27 million per annum from the European Economic Community Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund for structural improvement will be allocated to hill farm areas.

It is not possible to give a detailed breakdown of the areas of the United Kingdom to which payments from the Fund's Guidance Section would apply.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will state, from information available from international sources, the number of outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease in Great Britain and other European and Western countries, including Australia, New Zealand and South Africa, in 1967, 1968 and 1969, in the same form as given in answer to a Question on 29th November, 1967.

The following is the information:

NUMBERS OF OUTBREAKS OF FOOT-AND-MOUTH DISEASE, AS REPORTED BY THE OFFICE INTERNATIONAL DES EPIZOOTIES 1967 1968 1969 Great Britain … 2,210 187 Nil Argentina … 4,634 1,427 1,957 Brazil … 116 268 496 Uruguay … 65 24 82 U.S.A. … Nil Nil Nil Canada … Nil Nil Nil Australia … Nil Nil Nil New Zealand … Nil Nil Nil South Africa … 8 3 2 Austria … Nil Nil Nil Belgium … 22 1 3 Bulgaria … Nil Nil Nil Czechoslovakia … Nil 11 6 Denmark … 5 5 8 Finland … Nil Nil Nil West Germany … 3,350 68 12 France … 17 40 36 Greece … 58 Nil 111 Hungary … 4 60 Nil Italy … 211 22 135 Netherlands … 96 Nil Nil Northern Ireland … Nil Nil Nil Irish Republic … Nil Nil Nil Poland … 10 Nil 5 Portugal … 520 923 160 Roumania … Nil 11 6 Sweden … Nil Nil Nil Switzerland … Nil 23 1 Turkey … 2,068 301 1,442 Yugoslavia … Nil 76 Nil Spain … 305 562 522

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how he accounts for the increase of 160 in the staff of his Department in the period 1st July to 1st November, 1970; and what increase or decrease he now anticipates in the period up to 30th June, 1971.

There is always an increase in staff numbers during this period of the year as the main season for recruitment follows the end of the academic year. As stated in the White Paper (Cmnd. 4564) I am proposing to make significant staff reductions over the next three years, and there will be some decrease by 30th June, 1971. It is not however possible to estimate at this stage what that decrease will be.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many cattle carcases entered Great Britain from Northern Ireland in 1970; and what was their total value.

Information on the number and total value of carcases entering Great Britain from Northern Ireland is not available. During 1970, 36,612 tons of carcase beef was shipped from Northern Ireland to Great Britain.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many fat cattle were imported into Great Britain from Northern Ireland in 1970; and what was their total value.

During 1970, 71,681 fat cattle bred in Northern Ireland were shipped to Great Britain. Details are not available about the total value of these cattle.

asked the Minister of Aviation Supply how many complaints he has received from residents at Stansted about training flights where it was stated that the pilots exceeded the allotted hours or flew after 11 p.m.; and if it is proposed that training flights to be made at Thurleigh should include substantial overflying of the airfield, low-level approaches without touchdowns, and courses encircling the field within a five-mile radius.

No such complaints about training flights have come to this Department or, I understand, to the airport.

About one in five of the training flights to be made at Thurleigh is planned as a circuit or approach not involving touchdown. Because of the East-West alignment of the runway, training flights may extend to about 10 miles in an easterly direction and occasionally to the West. In the north-south direction aircraft will normally fly at a distance of more than five miles from the field. All flights will continue to be arranged to avoid the more heavily-populated areas wherever possible.

asked the Minister of Aviation Supply what proportion of the total training flights at Stansted numbering 28,378 in 1969–70 is intended to be transferred to Prestwick, and what proportion to Thurleigh in 1971–72 and 1972–73.

The figure of 28,378 for 1969–70 is, I understand, the total number of test and training movements at Stansted for all operators. I am not aware of plans by airlines other than B.O.A.C. to transfer activities from Stansted, nor would they have to consult my right hon. Friend unless they proposed to make use of an airfield at one of the Ministry of Aviation Supply's establishments.

It is planned that the build-up of B.O.A.C. training at R.A.E., Bedford, will rise from about 4,500 movements at present to 10,000 in the calendar year 1971 and to 15,000 in 1972.

asked the Minister of Aviation Supply how many research contracts related to defence projects are let to universities through his Department.

The Department has 522 current aerospace research agreements with universities. In general, the work being done under these agreements is of a basic research nature and has both civil and defence applications.

asked the Minister of Aviation Supply what are the universities and departments concerned in research contracts related to defence projects sponsored by his Department; and what has been the annual value of such contracts in 1968, 1969, and 1970.

The Department has let research agreements to the following universities and colleges: —Aberdeen, Aston in Birmingham, Bath, Belfast, Birmingham, Bradford, Brighton College of Technology, Bristol, Brunel, Calgary, Cambridge, City, Cranfield Institute of Technology, Dundee, Durham, East Anglia, Edinburgh, Enfield College of Technology, Essex, Exeter, Glasgow, Hatfield Polytechnic, Hull, Keele, Kent, Kingston Polytechnic, Lancaster, Leeds, Leicester, Liverpool, London, Loughborough, Manchester, National College of Rubber Technology, Newcastle, Nottingham, Oxford, Reading, Royal Military College of Science Shrivenham, Salford, Sheffield, Southampton, Strathclyde, Surrey, Sussex, St. Andrews, Wales. Warwick, York.

The university departments are those dealing with the following fields of research: acoustics, aerodynamics, aeronautics, astronautics, chemical engineering, chemistry, cybernetics, electrical engineering, electronics, ergonomics, mathematics, metallurgy, natural philosophy, physics. The work being done under these agreements is in general of a basic research nature and has both civil and defence applications. Annual expenditure in 1968, 1969 and 1970 was of the order of £1,000,000 a year.

asked the Minister of Aviation Supply how many research contracts related to defence and sponsored by his Department are classified.

On the assumption that the hon. Member is referring to agreements with universities, the answer is two at present. The Department has of course, some classified defence research contracts with industry.

asked the Minister of Aviation Supply in how many cases are any of the university staff or attached researchers on research contracts relating to defence and sponsored by his Department required to have security clearance.

In the case of one contract only certain security procedures apply under the Official Secrets Acts.

asked the Minister of Aviation Supply why a letter from his Department, dated 1st January, 1971, notifying the hon. Member for Bedford of a meeting to be held at the Royal Aircraft Establishment, on Wednesday, 6th January, did not reach him until 21st January.

I wrote to my hon. Friend on 31st December explaining that he would shortly receive a formal invitation to a meeting at R.A.E., Bedford, on 6th January.

I regret that this invitation from R.A.E., Bedford, dated January 1st was misdirected originally, but I understand that the establishment apologised for the error when my hon. Friend spoke to them by telephone on 4th January and that my hon. Friend did in fact attend the meeting.

asked the Minister of State for Defence how he accounts for the increase of 390 in the staff of his Department in the period 1st July to 1st November, 1970; and what increase or decrease he now anticipates in the period up to 30th June, 1971.

There was no increase in the total number of civilians employed by the Ministry of Defence. The apparent increase of 390 non-industrials was due to the grant of non-industrial status to some 400 chargemen of skilled labourers, previously classified as industrial employees.

It is not yet possible to forecast the change expected by 30th June, 1971, as the staff estimates for the financial year beginning 1st April, 1971, are still under consideration.

asked the Minister of State for Defence whether he will now make a further statement giving the approximate date on which he expects his Department's review of the future of Royal Air Force Reserves, including flying units, to be completed; and when he hopes to make public his resulting decisions.

I have nothing to add to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend on 19th January.—[Vol. 809, c. 264. ]

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will publish in HANSARD as detailed a list as may be readily available, showing either by calendar year or on a monthly basis the rise and/or fall from October, 1964, until the latest stated date in the retail price index, the cost of living, weekly rates of manual workers and salaried staffs, and the percentage rise; and what has been the cumulative increase to date in all wage and salary scales on a percentage basis taking October, 1964, as being 100.

Following is the information:

Percentage changes Index of Retail Prices Index of Basic Weekly Wage Rates (Manual Workers) October, 1964 to October, 1965 +4.8 +4.7 October, 1965 to October, 1966 +3.8 +4.1 October, 1966 to October, 1967 +2.0 +5.1 October, 1967 to October, 1968 +5.6 +5.4 October, 1968 to October, 1969 +5.4 +5.3 October, 1969 to October, 1970 +7.4 +11.4 October, 1970 to December, 1970 +1.4 +4.5 October, 1964 to December, 1970 +34.4 +48.0

Corresponding information about changes in the salary scales of administrative,

NUMBERS OF MALES REGISTERED AS UNEMPLOYED AT 11TH JANUARY, 1971 IN THE AREA COVERED BY THE DURHAM EMPLOYMENT EXCHANGE Up to 24 years of age Aged 25 to 54 Aged 55 and over Total, males of all ages Total registered unemployed — — — 1,210 Temporarily stopped and casual workers — — — 47 Wholly unemployed except casual workers 237 453 473 1,163 Of whom, registered for more than 26 weeks 24 161 375 560 The rate of unemployment for males was 7.7 per cent.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many men were registered as unemployed at the Crook Exchange in West Durham at the technical and clerical workers is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what was the number of men unemployed in Durham County at the latest count; what percentage rate this represents; how many of those so registered were over 55 years of age; and what were the corresponding figures for June, 1970.

At 11th January, 1971, there were 30,660 males registered as unemployed in Durham County: 30,432 were wholly unemployed of whom 8,883 were 55 years of age or over. The corresponding figures for 13th July, 1970, were 27,266, 26,677 and 8,738, respectively. Age analyses of the wholly unemployed are not available for June, 1970. Because parts of Durham are in the Tyneside and Teesside travel-to-work areas, meaningful percentage rates of unemployment cannot be calculated for the county. The figures for January, 1971, are provisional.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many men were registered as unemployed at the Durham Exchange at the latest count; what percentage rate this represents; how many men were in the age groups 55 years or over, 26 years to 54 years and under 26 years; and how many in each age group specified had been unemployed for more than six months.

Following is the information available:

latest count; what percentage rate this represented; how many men were in the age groups 55 years or over, 26 years to 54 years and under 26 years; and how many in each age group specified had been unemployed for more than six months.

NUMBERS OF MALES REGISTERED AS UNEMPLOYED AT 11TH JANUARY, 1971 IN THE AREA COVERED BY THE CROOK EMPLOYMENT EXCHANGE Up to 24 years of age Aged 25 to 54 Aged 55 and over Total, males of all ages Total registered unemployed — — — 638 Temporarily stopped and casual workers — — — 9 Wholly unemployed except casual workers 88 268 273 629 Of whom, registered for more than 26 weeks 8 93 207 308 The rate of unemployment for males in the Bishop Auckland, Crook, Shildon and Spennymoor travel-to-work area was 9 per cent. Rates cannot be calculated for Crook alone.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will state the number of redundancies in County Durham between 18th June, 1970, and 21st January, 1971, listing the places of employment at which they occurred and the numbers in each establishment.

About 5,200 men and women were notified as involved in redundancies in this period. The precise number at any individual establishment is often given to my Department in confidence, but I shall write to the hon. Member giving such information as I am able to provide.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what percentage of the total number of redundancies in the Northern Region between 18th June, 1970, and 21st January, 1971, occurred in County Durham.

68 per cent. of those notified were in County Durham.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what was the total of payments made under the Redundancy Payments Act, 1965, in Scotland in 1970.

I regret that separate figures are not available for Scotland.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment, in view of the recent dispute, whether he will make his officers available to the Electricity Council to assist them in promoting better industrial relations.

Following is the information available:

I have received no request from either side of the industry in this matter. As the hon. Gentleman knows, the Court of Inquiry is at present examining the causes and circumstances relevant to the dispute affecting industrial staff.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will seek a meeting with the General Secretary of the Union of Post Office Workers to discuss with him calling off the Post Office workers' strike on condition that an independent arbitration tribunal examine the dispute on condition that the persons appointed to the tribunal shall be agreed to by the parties to the dispute, and not be limited in their recommendations to the Government's 10 per cent. norm.

The Union of Post Office Workers have made it clear that they are not prepared to go to arbitration in this dispute.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will arrange for the Report and evidence given before the Wilberforce Committee to be published in full, including the submissions made by trade union representatives regarding the Government's policy on salary increases to higher paid public servants, as compared with their policy on wage awards to industrial workers, and the replies of Treasury witnesses thereto.

No. The Inquiry was open to the public. I have arranged for a copy of the verbatim report of the public hearings to be placed in the Library of the House of Commons.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many council houses and flats have been sold by the London Borough of Islington up to the most recent convenient date; and what is the total estimate of loans to be advanced to the purchasers.

The hon. Member should apply for this information direct to the London Borough of Islington. The Council themselves decide these matters and will have the precise information requested.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when part two of the publication on condensation and damp in housing, dealing with remedial work, will be published.

The preparation of the publication is well in hand and it will be published in August, 1971.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) how many local authorities have published local plans to date under the provisions of the Town and Country Planning Act, 1968; and whether he will list them;

(2) whether he will list the local authorities which have so far submitted structure plans to him under the Town and Country Planning Act, 1968, indicating in each case when approval may be expected.

No structure plans have yet been submitted to my right hon. Friend. The first are likely to reach my Department in the course of next year. I am preparing a programme of submissions so that they can be processed expeditiously.

Local plans cannot be taken past the preparatory stages until the relevant structure plan has been approved.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations have been made to him by the local authority associations regarding the rate support grant for the current and coming years; and what reply he has sent.

The local authority associations were closely consulted about proposals for the rate support grants for the current year and for the two following years before the relevant rate support grant orders were made. Both the associations' views and my right hon. Friend's grant proposals were discussed during the debate on those orders on 10th December, 1970. A full statement on the associations' views can be found in their report on these orders published earlier this month.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how he accounts for the increase of 290 in the staff of his Department in the period 1st July to 1st November, 1970; and what increase or decrease he now anticipates in the period up to 30th June, 1971.

This Department was not created until 12th November. The increases referred to were increases of the three former departments now forming the Department of the Environment.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) how many accidents were reported during 1970 on that stretch of the A5 between Gailey roundabout and the Shropshire border; and how many of these involved severe injury or loss of life;

(2) what is the official estimate of the number of vehicles using that stretch of the A5 between Gailey and the Shropshire border on a weekday; and how many of those vehicles are bound for Telford New Town;

(3) how many holidaymakers bound for Wales are estimated to have travelled along that stretch of the A5 between Gailey and the Shropshire border during the summer of 1970.

1. During 1970, 34 accidents were reported on the A5 between Gailey roundabout and the Shropshire border. Of these four were fatal, eight serious and 22 slight.

2. The number of vehicles using this length of the A5 on an average weekday in August, 1970 (24-hour count) was 10,780. The proportion of traffic bound for Telford and points west is at least 80 per cent. of this figure.

3. Information about the number of holidaymakers bound for Wales during the summer of 1970 is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what estimate he made of the rate of return on the £12,500,000 investment in the Bristol West Dock before authorising its construction.

I would refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Swansea, West (Mr. Alan Williams) on 26th January.—[Vol. 810, c. 88.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will state the criteria which enabled him to ascertain the effect on the trade of the South Wales ports, especially Swansea, before authorising the construction of the Bristol West Dock Scheme.

The main factor was the extent of the potential demand by various traffics, especially those traditionally associated with Bristol.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will state the flow of traffic on the A1 road at the Archway junction for the first six months of 1970.

The Greater London Council, who are the highway authority do not have this information.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he is aware of the number and type of fatalities in the vicinity of Archway Bridge, London, N.19, on the A1 road; if any action is proposed to reduce or obviate such tragedies; and if he will make a statement.

There have been two fatalities since January, 1969 caused by persons jumping from Archway Bridge on to the A1 below. There are rotating spikes on the bridge parapets to discourage suicide attempts but no further preventive measures are planned.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will specify the total volume of traffic moving on the M1 during the last 12 months for which figures are available, and the percentage thereof which was involved in fatal accidents or accidents resulting in serious personal injuries.

It is estimated that in 1969 motor vehicles travelled 1,890 million miles on the M1, and that for every hundred million miles of travel there were four fatal accidents and 14 accidents resulting in serious personal injury.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what checks are made on continental vehicles driving on roads in the United Kingdom from the noise and fume point of view; and if he will make a statement.

Such vehicles are liable to the same checks as British vehicles but we are considering whether enforcement could be made more effective.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will place restrictions on heavy vehicles using urban and country roads.

This is a matter for the judgment of the local authorities concerned. They have regulatory powers for the purpose. My right hon. Friend announced on 16th December that no increase in the 32-ton limit for heavy lorries is to be allowed.—[Vol. 808, c. 350.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the accident rate per motorway mile during 1970; and how it is compared with the rate on other major trunk roads.

I regret that the information is not yet available.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a condition of British entry into the European Economic Community the continuance of direct income payments to farmers in the hill and upland areas in order that they can continue to play their part in increasing meat production in the United Kingdom.

I would refer the hon. Member to the speech by my right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food in this House on 21st January.—[Vol. 810, c. 1332–33.]

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make it a condition of entry into the European Economic Community that if the British market for horticultural products is faced with disturbance following free access for the produce of other European Economic Community countries during the transitional period, Her Majesty's Government will require the power to apply a safeguard clause to imports until the market situation is improved, such as the provision existing in the Community in the early 1960s in Regulation No. 23, 1962.

We have said to the Community that flexibility will be essential when we come to make the transition to the Common Agricultural Policy. The form of transitional arrangements for horticulture is still subject to negotiation.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will give an assurance that if Great Britain were to join the European Economic Community the Milk Marketing Board would continue its existing marketing function on behalf of all producers.

Our understanding is that the Milk Marketing Board as a nongovernmental producer organisation will be able to continue the essential features of our present milk marketing arrangements.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is his estimate of the total cost of United Kingdom payments into the European Economic Community budget after allowing for receipts of £84 million in 1982, on the basis that the total Community budget in 1982 will be 3,000 million dollars and 4,500 million dollars, respectively.

For estimates of the range of the United Kingdom net contribution to the Community budget I would refer hon. Members to my state. ment of 16th December. I explained in this statement some qualifications applying to the estimates made in it. These would apply even more to estimates for as far ahead as 1982.—[Vol. 809, c. 1354–56.]

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will seek to ensure that the European Economic Community Council of Ministers accepts the United Kingdom view that the Milk Marketing Board should be considered within an enlarged European Economic Community as a nongovernmental producer organisation.

I am sure that the Council of Ministers of the Community is well aware of our position in this matter which was explained by my right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture in the debate in this House on 21st January. —[Vol. 810, c. 1323–4.]

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reply he has received from the South African Government to his representations on behalf of the Dean of Johannesburg; what news he has of the Dean's welfare and the nature of the charges against him; and whether the Dean has now been allowed to see a legal adviser.

On 23rd January the British Ambassador in Cape Town made representations about the Dean to the South African Department of Foreign Affairs. The Dean was visited by our Consul twice during his detention in prison.

The Dean appeared in a Magistrate's Court in Johannesburg on 28th January where he was charged under Section II of the Suppression of Communism Act with assisting banned organisations by receiving, safeguarding and distributing certain pamphlets which the police claimed to have found in his possession. There was an alternative charge of possession only. The Dean was released on bail. He was represented in Court by a legal adviser.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if, in view of the teratogenic and proven long-term ill effect of teratogenic herbicides 2.4.D and 2.4.5T, he will seek to include their use in terms of the Geneva Protocol.

No. I would also refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply concerning these substances given to him by my hon. Friend, the Parliamentary Secretary at the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, on 19th January.—[Vol. 810, c. 240–41.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will introduce legislation to make it obligatory for magistrates to take account of the recipients' tax liabilities when making maintenance orders.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how he accounts for the increase of 305 in the staff of his Department in the period 1st July to 1st November, 1970; and what increase or decrease he now anticipates in the period up to 30th June, 1971.

The additional staff were required mainly for prisons, immigration, forensic science laboratories and telecommunications. The level of staffing for the period up to next June has not yet been decided.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his estimate of the amount of purchase tax which is paid annually on the purchase of police vehicles, motor cycles and Panda cars.

I regret that the information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will give for the past three years details of the foreign nationals who have been allowed to settle and take up residence in the United Kingdom and for what reasons; how long it was before a decision was given in each instance; how many of these originated from Russia; what was the percentage of such claims or requests made and granted or refused; and whether he will give similar details for British citizens of the Commonwealth.

I would refer the hon. Member to my right hon. Friend's reply to a Question from him on 13th January. I regret that the additional information is either not available or could not be collected without an expenditure of official time that would not be justified.—[Vol. 809, c. 75. ]

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish figures showing the distribution of personal wealth in the United Kingdom, together with similar figures for West Germany, France, Italy, Holland and Belgium, from information available to him from international sources.

There is no information available on the distribution of wealth in West Germany, France, Italy, Holland and Belgium. Figures for Great Britain are published in "Inland Revenue Statistics 1970".

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how he accounts for the increase of 1,210 in the staff of the Inland Revenue in the period 1st July to 1st November, 1970; and what increase or decrease he now anticipates in the period up to 30th June, 1971.

The Inland Revenue required an increase in staff for the financial year 1970–71 to deal with additional work arising in the year, mainly in tax offices. The Department also had to meet the situation recognised by the Estimates Committee in their 5th Report (Session 1968–69) that the Department was seriously understaffed and overworked. About half the total increase for the year was concentrated in the period in question, which is the most fruitful time for recruitment from schools and universities.

It is not yet possible to forecast changes in the period up to 30th June, 1971.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the weight of cupro-nickel coin produced at Llantrisant in the period 4th December, 1970, to 8th January, 1971, inclusive.

414 tons.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the annual average growth rate in United Kingdom gross national product since 1958; what is the latest annual figure; and what have been the comparable figures for the United States of America, based on information available to him from international sources.

The annual average rate of growth in the United Kingdom gross domestic product at constant market prices from 1958 to 1969 was 3.1 per cent. Between 1968 and 1969 the rate of growth was 1.5 per cent. The corresponding figures for the United States, on the basis of returns from O.E.C.D. were 4.5 per cent. and 2.9 per cent., respectively. These figures have been based on gross domestic product, rather than gross national product, and valued at market prices rather than factor cost, since this is the basis on which the most up-to-date figures for the United States are available. The use of these different concepts has very little effect on the measurement of rates of growth.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions have been held with the French Government about the replacement of sterling as a reserve currency by a European reserve currency; and if he will make a statement.

No such discussions have been held.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will place in the Library a transcript of the cross-examination of the Treasury witnesses before the Wilberforce Court of Inquiry.

I have been asked to reply.

I have arranged for a copy of the verbatim report of the public hearings to be placed in the Library.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement about Government support for the industrial promotion work of the Scottish Council, Development and Industry.

I am discussing with the Council improved arrangements for attracting new industry to Scotland, particularly from Europe. I have offered to make available up to £20,000 in each of the three years from April, 1971, for this purpose, on the understanding that the Council will also provide substantial funds for the same purpose; and in addition I intend to give substantial backing to this work through my own Department. The arrangements will be designed to secure the co-operation of other Scottish promotional bodies.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he is yet able to announce increases in nurses' pay.

No. A claim for a new settlement to operate from 1st April is currently under discussion in the Nurses and Midwives Whitley Council.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how he accounts for the increase of 360 in the staff of his Department in the period 1st July to 1st November, 1970; and what increase or decrease he now anticipates in the period up to 30th June, 1971.

The reason for the increase of 360 in the staff of the Department of Health and Social Security between 1st July and 1st November, 1970. was that during this period more favourable recruitment enabled the Department to fill outstanding vacancies. Final decisions affecting the numbers of staff between now and 30th June, 1971, have yet to be taken.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what answer he has given to the Pharmaceutical Society on their arguments against his reasons against exemption from prescription charges for women aged 60 to 64 years and children still receiving full-time education in schools.

I am sending the hon. Member a copy of my reply.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many persons per 10,000 population in the London Borough of Islington were in receipt of unemployment benefit during 1969 and 1970.

I regret that separate figures are not available for the Borough of Islington.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will refer the floor tiling manufacturing industry to the Monopolies Commission.

My information on the market for floor tiling as a whole is that it is unlikely that the statutory criteria for reference to the Commission are satisfied.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what has been the percentage increase in the price of petrol since 18th June, 1970.

Wholesale prices of petrol have increased by about 4 per cent. since 18th June, 1970, varying slightly for grade and area of supply. Percentage price increases at the pump may be a little higher than this depending on the dealer.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) how many research contracts the United States Department of Defence has currently with British universities; and what was the annual value of such contracts in 1968, 1969, and 1970;

(2) which universities and which university departments currently hold contracts with the United States Department of Defence; and which, and how many, are classified.

The United States Department of Defence is currently financing 69 research projects at 25 United Kingdom Universities—Aberdeen, Bangor, Belfast, Birmingham, Bristol, Brunel, Cambridge, Durham, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Hull, Kent, Leeds, Liverpool, London, Manchester, Newcastle Upon Tyne, Nottingham, Oxford, Salford, Sheffield, Southampton, Sussex, Swansea, Ulster.

The fields of research covered are—astral physics, atmospheric sciences, biosciences, cartography, chemistry, electronics, energy conversion, hydromechanics, life sciences, materials, mathematics, mechanics, metallurgy, physical chemistry, physics, spectroscopy, terrestial studies.

All of these research projects are unclassified.

The annual values of the contracts for 1968, 1969 and 1970 were, respectively, £324,000, £344,000, and £266,000.

The Department has no responsibility for the placing or financial control of these contracts and only receives information on them so that duplication with United Kingdom Government-sponsored research at British universities may be avoided.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many inquiries have been received from potential tenants in respect of the Llanelly No. 1 and Llanelly No. 2 advance factories, respectively.

Each of these factories has so far been suggested to more than 100 firms inquiring for space in Wales: no firm applications have yet been received.

Reed asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether the Coastguard Service have yet located the source of three cyanide tins washed up near Bognor Regis; and if he will make a statement.

I understand that these tins were found by a local resident who took them to the police at Bognor Regis who are handling the matter. H.M. Coastguard were not involved.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will give an estimate of the total expenditure likely to be incurred by the Committee of Inquiry on Small Firms.

Up to the end of April, 1971, when the main work of the Committee will be completed, total expendi- ture is expected to amount to about £120,000. Of this sum, research projects account for over half and staff costs for one-third. It does not include any provision for printing and publishing the Committee's Report.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what was the staff complement of doctors in the hospital casualty units closed in the last two years in South Wales.

Crickhowell hospital casualty unit, closed in 1970, was staffed by local general practitioners. The medical staff complement of the two other units which are temporarily closed are:

Morriston Hospital Swansea, three Senior House Officers; and

St. James' Hospital, Tredegar, two Senior House Offices.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement about future Government financial support for the Development Corporation for Wales.

I have decided to make available from 1st April, 1971, for each of the next three years a sum of up to £20,000 in support of the Development Corporation's work. The conditions applicable to the grant are being discussed with the Corporation but it is intended that a part of the grant will be related to the Corporation's income from sources other than the central government.